Olive oil has healing properties.
Photo: Shutterstock
Scientists have recently found a non-trivial way to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, one of the most common variants of dementia, or the age-related weakening of cognitive abilities, memory, concentration and thinking. It turned out that the drug “Sildenafil”, which is used to treat erectile dysfunction in men and is part of the drug “Viagra”, protects well against the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Well, the second useful piece of news for people interested in healthy longevity and suitable for preventive use by everyone, including, of course, women: scientists have noted the benefits of olive oil as a protective nutrient, a beneficial nutrient , against the development of dementia.
The data on the therapeutic substance in the composition of Viagra look very happy and encouraging.
– A case-control analysis of an insurance claims database of 7.23 million people showed that those who received sildenafil prescriptions had a 69% lower risk of Alzheimer’s. Reliability is very high, Ancha Baranova, a microbiologist, professor at the School of Systems Biology at George Mason University, a specialist in the field of personalized medicine, genetics, and human pathophysiology, writes on her channel.
However, observational studies on the inclusion of olive oil in the diet on a regular and long-term basis show very good results.
This Mediterranean food can reduce the risk of dying from dementia by 28% if you consume just one tablespoon of olive oil a day. Additionally, olive oil is generally beneficial for heart and brain health.
“Choosing olive oil, a natural product, instead of fats like margarine and mayonnaise, is a safe option and may reduce the risk of dying from dementia,” said Anne-Julie Tessier, co-author of the study and a researcher at the University of from Harvard.
The study also showed that:
– The lower risk of death from dementia with olive oil was independent of overall diet quality, suggesting the unique benefits of olive oil for brain health.
– If you replace a teaspoon of margarine or mayonnaise with the equivalent amount of olive oil per day, then the risk of dying from dementia is reduced by 8-14%.
This is the first study to examine the relationship between diet and dementia-related death. The scientists analyzed dietary and cause-of-death data collected from more than 90,000 Americans during 30 years of follow-up, during which 4,749 study participants died of dementia.
“Some of the antioxidant compounds in olive oil can cross the blood-brain barrier, which could have a direct effect on the brain,” Tessier said. – It is also possible that olive oil has an indirect indirect effect on the health of the brain, having a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system (a healthy heart nourishes the brain well with useful substances and oxygen, ensuring sufficient blood flow – ed. ).
The authors emphasize that more research is needed to confirm the effects of olive oil and determine the optimal amount in the diet; however, overall, the study is consistent with dietary recommendations and supports the evidence that using olive oil instead of margarine or mayonnaise may promote healthy eating. eating.